“Peter Beard was a man who had seen too much to care about a perfect crease.” Uma Wang had the late photographer and other perfectly imperfect men in mind when designing her spring 2027 collection. “He never seemed concerned with looking impeccable,” she said. “Seeing photographs of him, I had the impression that he dressed without overthinking it, with the ease of choices made quickly in the morning.”
Wang began with an exacting study of fabric—all sourced in Italy, all produced by Tuscan mills. Lightweight yet durable cotton was washed and treated to appear naturally worn-in. Linen, stained and dyed almost as though painted by hand, carried a similarly lived-in look. Another fabric incorporated a metallic component that gave structure to the garments she made from it, turning printed shirts into ideal travel companions that can be packed into a suitcase without losing their form. Another print depicted poppies. It originated from a photograph taken in a field near one of the company’s production facilities, yet poppies are also the flowers Wang keeps in her studio in China, making them, in a way, an emblem of the meeting of two cultures.
Despite the layered construction, the overall effect was effortless and unforced. The trench coat was open at both sides, inviting experimentation and allowing the sleeves to be used as a scarf. Worn with studied nonchalance, jackets were paired with tailored Bermuda shorts, technical trousers, or balloon-cut pinstripe styles. Tailored shirts came with short sleeves and integrated scarves.
“I don’t know much about menswear,” Wang concluded, “but I observe the people I see on the street and those who are part of my life. That’s how my ideas take shape.” With a kind of raw sophistication, the looks here spoke of a life genuinely lived rather than merely performed.
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